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Callan Town Improvement Plan

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Introduction.

This Draft Callan Town Improvement Plan has been developed by the Callan Town Team. It is a Draft Plan, pending public consultation and any revisions or

amendments that are required to be made following the public consultation process.

Who are the Callan Town Team?

The Callan Town Team was formed, in January 2018, with the assistance of Kilkenny County Council. The Team comprises of 15 members. Membership of the

Callan Town Team is through representation of Retailers & Business, Community, Voluntary & Education, Tidy Towns & Environmental, Heritage & Sport,

Arts, Farming and Tourism. Each individual on the Team represents a larger group of stakeholders for each sector. All sectors operate in the town of Callan

and/or its hinterlands. All sectors are accountable back to the people of Callan.

The Callan Town Team has agreed Terms of Reference (or Charter) following consultation with the wider community of Callan. The Terms of Reference set

out the Team’s Vision and Mission as follows:

Vision

“Callan Town Team- Putting Callan on the map- building on Callan’s existing infrastructure, driving change, and creating vibrancy in the community” .

Mission:

Callan Town Team seeks to represent a true community vision of how to improve the town centre for the people of Callan and attract visitors, families and

businesses”.

The Terms of Reference of the Callan Town Team, including membership, are set out in Appendix 1 attached.

Why is this Draft Town Improvement Plan being developed?

Callan is one of Kilkenny’s four District towns. It has a population of 2,475 and it serves a large rural hinterland. It is a historic town with significant heritage

buildings and strong traditions in cultural and creative industries.

As with many county towns around Ireland, Callan has changed in recent years with the development of an industrial park away from the traditional town

centre, a bypass, large scale residential developments out of the town centre, vacant properties (both commercial and residential) in the town centre, the

closure of traditionally owned family businesses and underutilised heritage buildings.

These changes have resulted in a noticeable disimprovement in areas of the traditional town centre due to underutilisation and dereliction of the built

environment particularly in Bridge Street and Mill Street which account for many of Callan’s 28 vacant premises. The vacancy rate in Callan is 16% which is

one of the highest for commercial addresses in Kilkenny.

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The town also faces challenges in the context of unemployment which is 9%, above the national average of 7% and it has a deprivation index score of -5.87 on

the Pobal HASSE Index, including three areas with a very disadvantaged status.

Kilkenny County Council selected Callan to pilot the “Framework for Town Centre Renewal” published by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Conservation,

in 2016. The Council identified Callan as a priority location due to the severe decline in its economy and the areas of significant dereliction.

Callan Town Health Check.

At one of the first public meetings on this the local communities outlined the problems that they hoped to address. Kilkenny County Council then engaged

consultants to undertake a Health Check for Callan. The Health Check provides up-to-date information on the performance of Callan Town centre,

incorporating an assessment of strengths, constraints, opportunities and threats which will be used in preparing for future development and enhancement of

the town. Moreover, the data obtained in the assessment will support future community and socio-economic planning and development of the town with a

view to enhancing the prosperity and vibrancy of the town and improving the quality of life for the local community and those working and visiting.

The Callan Town Health Check collates information based on a range of indicators and the overall performance of the town is assessed against pre-

determined indicators in order to create reliable baseline information. As outlined in the Retail Planning Guidelines, viability and vibrancy are core elements

to the enhancement of town and village centres: “Vibrancy is a measure of how active and buoyant a centre is, whilst viability refers to the commercial well-

being of a town”, thereby, a measure of its capacity to continually attract investment.

The indicators of vibrancy and vibrancy assessed include;

Key Attractors;

Diversity of uses;

Accessibility;

Traffic & Parking;

Pedestrian flow and footfall;

Vacancy and dereliction;

Environment (shop fronts, signage, general appearance, green spaces, biodiversity and natural quality); and

Community Amenity (recreation, arts, culture and sports);

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The Callan Town Renewal Team and the wider community engaged constructively in the health check workshop and outlined their views which have been

taken on board. The Health Check report has now been issued and the recommendations of that report have been considered by the Callan Town Team in

drafting this Action plan.

What is the purpose of the Town Improvement Plan

The Town Improvement Plan will set out a vision for the town alongside the actions to achieve that vision. It will address the key issues facing Callan. The

need to address vibrancy and quality of life is recognised by all. The plan will act to mobilise all communities in Callan to share responsibility and co-operate

locally and with the identified Implementing Partners (and others) to implement feasible and achievable solutions. The plan identifies solutions to key issues

identified through the public consultation process.

This plan will also serve to inform future applications for funding under various local and national schemes administered by various Government

Departments, State Agencies and non government organisations (NGO’s).

By working together and harnessing productive partnerships the residents of Callan and those who work in and visit Callan, will successfully initiate and share

in the completion of a range of renewal and regeneration projects, programmes and activities.

Who will implement the Town Improvement Plan?

The proposed plan identifies potential agencies and groups which will partner with the Callan Town Team (directly or indirectly) in implementing the

identified actions.

The plan, when finalised, will be presented to Kilkenny County Council with the view to enrolling the Council’s support with regard to its implementation. The

Callan Town Team will also liaise with all other potential partners and seek their co-operation with regard to implementing relevant actions. It is recognised

and understood that many of the actions require resources including finance, skills and expertise which are not readily available and which have to be

identified and sourced by the Town Team, with the support of Kilkenny County Council.

How will the implementation of the plan be managed?

It is intended that the Callan Town Team will have overall responsibility for the implementation of this plan. Kilkenny County Council will play a leading part in

implementing many of the actions outlined in the plan (subject to available resources) and will use its good offices to influence the key partners identified in

this plan.

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The Callan Town team may form a sub-committee(s) to assist it in its management and implementation of this plan.

Quarterly reports on the implementation of the plan will be produced by the Callan Town Team and distributed and publicised locally. Reports will be

available to partnering agencies and groups.

Proposed Actions.

There now follows a schedule of actions which are intended to be included in the Callan Town Improvement Plan. The actions are listed under the following

headings:-

Public Realm improvement and Residential Regeneration

Traffic Management Enhancements

Tourism, Culture and Heritage Development

Recreation and Amenity Enhancements

Community Development and Engagement

Branding and Marketing

Promotion of Local Skills Produce and Enterprise

The Callan Town Team welcomes feedback and will consider any suggested revisions to this draft plan prior to its finalisation.

Dermot McCabe Etaoin Holahan Michael Delahunty

Dermot McCabe Etaoin Holahan Michael Delahunty

Chairman Secretary Kilkenny County Council.

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Callan Town Improvement Plan Actions

Actions Public Realm Improvements and

Residential Regeneration

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe Short Term (typically 0-6 months), Medium Term typically 7-24 months) and Long Term (typically 2-5 years).

The assessment of all under-utilised and/ or derelict buildings within the town centre with particular emphasis on Bridge Street. The preparation of a regeneration plan for the residential re-use of underutilised buildings in the town centre based on individual site resolution plans.

Bridge Street /Mill Street Regeneration Strategy and Master plan.

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Further actions arising from that Strategy/Plan

Lead Kilkenny County Council Partners- Callan Town Team, Kilkenny Leader Partnership (KLP), Carrig Conservation International Limited and ICOMOS ISCES+CC, Callan Community Network,(CCN), Bridge Street Project Team Camphill Communities-KCAT

Medium Term

The Preparation of a Public Realm Plan – a detailed analysis of the current condition of the town’s public realm and a setting out of the strategic direction of public realm improvements needed in the town, setting the context for further consultation, detailed design, and formal approvals as necessary

1. Fair Green Regeneration ----------------------------------------------------------- 2. Motte Fields Amenity Area -------------------------------------------------------------

1. Lead. Kilkenny County Council. Partners. John Locke’s GAA Club Callan Utd Soccer Club Callan Town Team. ---------------------------------- 2. Lead. Camphill Communities Partners Kilkenny County Council Kilkenny Leader Partnership

Medium Term

Medium Term

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3. Future Public Realm Plan improvements

(to be identified)

Callan Town Team Callan Community Network. ---------------------------------------- 3.Lead Kilkenny County Council

Long Term

Actions Traffic Management Enhancements

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Review Bridge Street Pedestrian Environment – prioritise actions to improve safety and likelihood of new enterprise and adaptive reuse of historic properties

Mobility Management Plan

KCC Roads Programme

Garda – traffic bylaws

Local Area Plan

Commercial Enterprise Plan

Secure Funding

Part 8 Planning Consent

Lead Kilkenny County Council. Partners Callan Town Team(Feedback from sectors which the Team represent), Callan Heritage Society/KCC Conservation & Heritage Officers. Local Enterprise Office. Elected Members. An Garda Siochána Bridge Street Project Team

Residents and Users

Short Term

Undertake a review of parking in the town /identify alternative parking

Mobility Management Plan

KCC Roads Programme

Garda – traffic bylaws

Local Area Plan

Commercial Enterprise Plan

Secure Funding

Part 8 Planning Consent

Lead. Kilkenny County Council Partners Callan Town Team(Feedback from sectors which the Team represent) An Garda Siochána Elected Members Public-residents and users

Short Term

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Provision of appropriate parking

Provide Pedestrian Crossing in the vicinity of the Schools in the light of the shared school facilities on both sides of the Kilkenny Rd.

Safe Crossing point for children and other pedestrians connecting school facilities

Lead: Kilkenny County Council Partners: Callan Town Team (Feedback from Parents, Parents Associations, Crèches, local business) Bunscoil McCauley Rice St. Brigids Secondary School Colaiste Eamon Rs An Garda Siochána Public –residents and users Private Landowners

Medium Term

Address car parking issues in the vicinity of the schools on the Kilkenny Rd.

Identified Solutions

Local Area Plan

KCC Roads Programme

Secure Funding to identified solutions

Lead-Kilkenny County Council Partners: Callan Town Team (Feedback from sectors which the team represent, Parents Associations, Crèches) Bunscoil McCauley Rice St Brigids Secondary School Colaiste Eamon Rís Public –users and visitors

Medium Term

Provide Off Street Car Parking for Bridge Street and provide pedestrian slip way from that car park to Bridge Street.

An Off-Street Car Park Leads: Private Landowner(s) and Kilkenny Co Council. Partners: Callan Town Team (Feedback from sectors which the team represent) Elected Members Local Enterprise Office Public –residents and users Private Landowners Bridge Street Project Team

Long Term

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Provide a Bus Shelter on Green Street An Age Friendly Bus Shelter (following a public consultation process and a Part 8 process)

Callan Town Team Kilkenny County Council

Medium

Actions Tourism, Culture and Heritage Development

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Conservation and re-development of key buildings for uses such as community, creative and enterprise such as Workhouse, Friary Complex and other opportunity sites and buildings

Friary

Friary Complex Conservation Plan.

Potential Branch Library Re Location to Friary.

--------------------------------- Callan Workhouse

Friary-Lead-Kilkenny County Council Partners Callan Friary Trust and Augustinian Order Callan Community Network Co Kilkenny LEADER Partnership ------------------------------------------ Kilkenny County Council Camphill Community Callan

Short-Medium Term

Long Term

Short term projects to include lighting at St Marys and the Moat castle,

Motte Fields Amenity Scheme to include motte heritage display and interpretation

Motte- Lead OPW and Camphill Communities. Partners-Kilkenny County Council & Callan Heritage Society

Short-Medium

St. Mary’s Church & Graveyard -Improve access to the church -Provide for Regular Maintenance -Light up the Church ruins

Daily Access to ruins for locals and tourists

A lighting scheme that showcases St Marys Church ruins at night time

Leads: OPW/KCC Partner: Callan Heritage Society

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Explore the cultural heritage of Cherryfield Graveyard, its maintenance

and appropriate access.

Options with regards to its history and heritage interpretation and commeration and maintenance

Kilkenny County Council Callan Heritage Committee

Undertake a Shop front Audit of the traditional shop fronts in Callan to be used to inform a shop front policy.

Documented and informed Shop Front Audit

Leads: Callan Town Team & Callan Heritage Committee Callan Creative Group Post Primary School

Repair the Wrought Iron Railings at St. Marys Church.

Conservation led Repair Plan

OPW and other Consents

Specialist Repair Contract

Repaired Railings in keeping with existing

Kilkenny County Council Short-Medium Term

Promote and enhancement of Callan as a Walled Town, Consider nominating Callan as a walled town as part of the Irish Walled Towns Network (Heritage Council).

Nominate Callan as a Walled Town to the Heritage Council

Callan Heritage Committee and Callan Town Team Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Callan Creative

Long Term

Co-ordinate and further the development of a Heritage trail, promotional literature and signage in Callan town

Heritage Signage Scheme for the Town

Lead -Callan Heritage Committee

Short-Medium Term

Actions Recreation and Amenity Enhancement

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Support the Delivery of the planned Callan United AFC Pavilion and all-weather football pitches at the Fair Green.

New Pavilion and All weather pitches

Lead: Callan Utd. Soccer Club Support: Funding Agencies and the people of Callan.

Long Term

Develop the Motte Fields as an Developed trail 1.6km in length fully Motte- Lead -Camphill Short-Medium

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accessible Amenity Scheme to include wheelchair access, pedestrian trails, nature trails and heritage interpretation panels.

accessible from Bridge Street Communities. Partners-KCC & Callan Heritage Committee

Deliver In-river and Riverbank Improvements to the King’s River East of Bridge Street as per funding awarded under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2017.

Kings River cleaned of silt

River Banks rebuilt

Removal of flood barriers during Summer months and

Improved access for all

Joint Partners-Kilkenny County Council and the Kings River Committee

Medium Term

Actions Community Development and Engagement

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Prepare a Communications Strategy Constant engagement with all members of the community regarding objectives and progress on actions.

Close consideration of engagement with young people and other potentially marginalised members of the community.

Lead-Callan Town Team Supporting Partners: All Groups and people of Callan

Short Term

Create a new Youth Café in the Town Centre

A youth Café that provides a safe and stimulating outlet for young people.

Lead: Ossory Youth and Foroige Supporting Partners :Local Schools

Long Term

Engage with owners of vacant and derelict buildings with a view to repair and enhancement works by local Trades people and trainee trades people.

Employment of Locally skilled/semi skilled trades people

Callan Town Team Property Owners County Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Callan Creative Callan Tidy Towns Callan Heritage Society

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Expand the Callan Tidy Towns Group and develop further a planned tidy town’s programme of improvements.

Greater numbers of volunteers engaged in a planned and co-ordinated multi-annual Tidy Towns programme

Lead Callan Tidy Towns Supporting; Callan Town Improvement Team

Short-Medium

Actions Branding and Marketing

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Commission a Tourism and Marketing Strategy to define a co-ordinated approach to providing for, and attracting visitors including a dedicated website featuring all visitor attractions and services in the town.

Tourism and Marketing Strategy Kilkenny LEADER Partnership (KLP) Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Callan Creative Callan Tourism Callan Heritage Society

Create a high-class website to promote all business, community, social, sporting and cultural activities of Callan as a co-ordinated and strategic approach to ‘selling’ the numerous offerings within the town.

A locally developed website- visitcallan.ie

Lead: Callan Peoples Council with local businesses, local community, social, sporting and cultural Groups and the Callan Town Team

Short Term

Actions Promotion of Local Skills Produce and Enterprise

Outputs Potential Partners Timeframe

Undertake Local Food and Produce Audit with the aim of developing a co-ordinated approach to promotion and collaboration.

Documented Audit of available food

and produce

Callan Town Team Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Local Enterprise Office Callan Co-Op

Short-Medium

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Fennelly ‘s, SUPERVALU and other local Food Producers and business interests

Identify spaces to be used to support the development of local enterprises.

Reuse of existing vacant premises and the promotion of existing and new enterprises

Callan Town Team Local Enterprise Office Property Owner(s) Kilkenny LEADER Partnership Kilkenny County Council

Medium Term

Establish a single representative organisation for the arts community including theatre companies and KCAT

One representative organisation to plan, schedule and promote the arts in Callan.

Callan Town Team Callan’s Arts and Theatre Groups as follows: KCAT, Fennelly‘s of Callan, Callan Workhouse Union, Equinox Theatre, Asylum Theatre, Monkeyshine Theatre and the individual artists that are Callan Creative.

Investigate the possibility of developing a Callan Town Market

Callan Town Market selling a range of local produce

Callan Town Team Short Term

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January 2018

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Callan Town Centre Renewal - Purpose of Callan Town Team

Vision:

“Callan Town Team- Putting Callan on the map- building on Callan’s existing infrastructure, driving change, and creating vibrancy in the community” .

Mission:

Callan Town Team seeks to represent a true community vision of how to improve the town centre for the people of Callan and attract visitors, families and

businesses.

The values about the way the purpose will be accomplished:

The Callan Town Team values honesty and transparency in the way it does its business and will be accountable for its decision making as part of the

enhancement of the town centre projects.

Working in consultation with the wider community and creating a channel of communication about Callan Town renewal projects.

The team works from a sense of pride in the community and values community spirit, working together and building bridges across the many groups who

work in the interests of bringing Callan alive.

Problems we hope to address:

Bus shelters for older people

Provision of enhanced facilities and events

Improve amenities, enhance the atmosphere

Fix the parking issues in Green Street

Improve the image of the town, bring new businesses to town

Improve the Town Centre, attract more people and businesses into the town

Make heritage sites accessible and available at all times to the public ( St Mary’s Church, The Friary), West-court, Workhouse, Parish Church

Lack of security cameras at sites

Traffic management, calming and parking, pedestrian plan , cultural quarter

Bring life back to the centre of the town with people protecting the vernacular architecture

Actively seek repair of the physical town centre and practical , attractive plan for businesses and families to populate the town centre

Attract footfall, create a buzz

Employment opportunities

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How we hope to address problems identified:

Supporting the consultants to undertake a Health Check

To access funding for improvement of the town

Promote Callan as the biggest town after Kilkenny City

Get people to actively engage

Make commitments

Create a reason to stop in Callan

Encourage people who make money in Callan to spend it in Callan

Encourage the development of leisure, entertainment and businesses

Get community groups working together with a common goal in a visible way to encourage the rest of the community to take part

To engage and actively promote the town and its heritage sites for the good of the people of Callan

Callan Town Renewal Town Team Representation – Membership

Membership of the Callan Town Team is through representation of the sectors outlined below. All sectors must operate in the town of Callan and/or its

hinterlands. All sectors are accountable back to the people of Callan.

Sector Name

Retailers & Business (3) Dermot McCabe

Mark Barry

Paul Madigan

Community, Voluntary &

Education (3)

Claire Somers

Billy Gardiner

Sinead Butler

Tidy Towns & Environmental (3) Declan Nolan

Mike Nolan

Finola Walsh

Heritage & Sport (3) Liam Rice

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John Walker

Dom Griffin

Arts (1) Etaoin Holahan

Farming (1) Eamon Maher

Tourism (1) Donal O Brien

As representatives to the Town Team it is understood that:

Each individual represents a larger group of stakeholders for each sector

In order to truly represent each sector Town team representatives will be accountable back to their respective sectors, provide regular consultation and

feedback with regards the Town Team Plan and its implementation

Team members are committed to the values, vision and mission of the Town Team

Final say as to recommendations of the team will be a partnership approach with the people of Callan and Kilkenny County Council

Roles and structure of the Team:

Callan Town Team members are committed to the vision, mission and values of the team, in order to provide the team with a range of skills necessary to

run effectively and share responsibility the team has elected a Chairperson, a secretary and treasurers as follows:

Elected February 2018: Chairperson: Dermot McCabe Joint Treasurers: Paul Madigan and Eamon Maher, either of the Joint Treasurers will act as Vice Chairperson as required Secretary: Etaoin Holahan

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Representatives from the Community Section and Area Office of Kilkenny County Council are to be available to the team in an advisory and support

capacity. The Area Office can serve as a point of contact for coordination of information. Kilkenny County Council will support the Health Check process

and the development of the Town Plan for Callan.

Other agency/organisation representatives will be invited to attend meetings where information, supports or particular expertise or advice is required

Team Decision making/ Confidentiality and Communication

The Callan Town Team will make decisions by getting input from the team and the team will make a decision reaching consensus. If consensus cannot be

reached a majority rule voting procedure will be applied. This will be reviewed by the group in 6 months time

(June 2018) to see if it is serving the group well.

The Callan Town Team will adopt a mostly open policy with regards to communication with the its stakeholders- information will be regularly

communicated to stakeholders unless doing so would damage someone or lessen the chance of success.

The methods of communication will be undertaken in a variety of ways:

Through sectoral representatives meeting with their groups/ stakeholder engagement

Distribution of leaflets

Parish newsletter

A centralised email address is developed for information flow callantownteam@gmail.com was suggested.

Social media/website potential

Public meetings ( Health Checks) - where others contribute ideas

Callan Town Team Meetings:

The Town Team will meet on a regular basis- initially every 2 weeks

The secretary and chair will prepare the agenda for the meetings ( in consultation with team members)

The team secretary will circulate agendas and minutes prior to the meetings

The meetings will be held in the meeting room in SUPERVALU

Membership and lifespan of the Town Team:

Members will review how long members will sit on the team, how the team will be renewed etc. Whatever renewal system is identified it is important

that it is transparent and an open process within each group- additions should also be considered at public meetings

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Main duties of the Chair The responsibilities of the chairperson are to:

Chair meetings

Plan meetings and develop the agenda in conjunction with the secretary

Provide leadership and ensure the effective operation of the committee

Ensure that decisions made at meetings are implemented

Work closely with the Kilkenny County Council in developing the Town Plan

Provide a focus for the committee (please note, however, that the chairperson has no more authority than any other committee member unless this is

specified in your governing document)

Act as a spokesperson for the committee

Sign and certify any expenditure or annual accounts for the committee.

An effective chairperson is one who:

Does not dominate meetings

Listens

Encourages and facilitates each member of the board to participate

Is able to direct the meeting in such a way that all views are heard without the meeting becoming bogged down on one item

Is impartial in letting all views be heard

Main duties of the Joint Treasurers

The main role of the treasurer is to maintain a financial overview of the committee The responsibilities of the treasurer are to: Look after the finances

Identify any potential funding sources

Write funding applications in conjunction with committee members

Oversee, prepare, present and approve budgets, accounts and financial statements

Prepare and present understandable financial reports to the committee

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Ensure that the financial resources of the organisation meet its needs

Ensure that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place

Liaise with relevant people about financial matters

Advise on the financial implications of any new projects

Prepare the annual accounts before being passed to the independent auditor

Present the annual accounts at the AGM.

Main duties of the Secretary

Secretary

The role of the secretary at its most basic is to keep accurate minutes of meetings, although its responsibilities are frequently wider and more substantial.

The responsibilities of the secretary are to:

Help the chairperson to plan meetings

Organise the logistics of meetings

Take and distribute minutes

Deal with committee correspondence.

END.